Condensing apparatus.



APPLICATION FILED HAY I9. 1915.

C. V. KERR.

A coNnENsmG APPARATUS.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

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C. V. KERR. y NoENsmG APPARATUS.

AP'PucATloN man MAYIQ 1915 Patented Nov 9 1915 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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e UNITED STATES PATENT o-Fnion. n

CHARLES V. KEER. 0F CHICAGO.y ILLINOIS.

Be 'it.l` n6w1r"tl1at I, CHARLES Y. Kenn, a citizen jot" the *I'x'iited'States, residing at inftli'county'of Cook and State min. have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements inCondensing Apparatus. tion.

,p )Ijivinvention 'relates to steam condensing "apparatus forengineplants and of the type which I' have termed barojsurfacevcondenslng.

neetl up `the same. as .to enable the water passing through.tl1e.,condenser to .act and perform the function-of withdrawing theairfin the condenser which has been liberated from the condensedVexhaust steam; second. 'to so construct. arrange and connectup dfiierentelements comprisingk the sw.

tem.. that a high vacuum is producedin the v condenser without theuse ofa costly and apart. quickly inspected or repaired, and

kept clean of incrustation: fourth. to so con- 'strnct and arrange theparts ofthe air pump. and so connect the same up in the apparatus. thata high vacuum isproduced -in a surface 'condenser without the use of apistonv air pump operated liv steam or other motive fiuid: fifth. otherobjects. and advantages of the construction and arrangement of theapparatus will appear from the de-` tailed descriptii-)n of thepreferred form. to

behereinaftergiven. n

The invention consists of structural fea-` tures aml'relativearrangements of the elements connu-Bing the-invention which willA belnreinafter more fullvilescribedfa'd par` tvularlypointed outiu theappendedfclaims.

illutrating the'V preferrml formnfffmy innrs 'indicate the sinnei parts:in the several of which' the following isa specifica-v Ihe-,objects ofmy invention'are. first. to so -,a1-range andfconstruct thecirculatmg,pump,condenser, and air pump. and :con-

'A coNnBNsING Arrnnamus.

. rateatedxona, 1915.

gitudinzl section of the air pump on line IIs-II ot Fig. 3; F ig. 3 is atransverse section of the pump taken on line IIIQIII of lig. :2; andFig. l is an enlarged side view partly in section jshowing the relationof the tubes and tube sheets of the air pump.

In the drawings as shown in F ig. l, the y numeral 1 indicates acirculating pump of the centrifugal class,' of any approved form, butmore especiallyr of the type shown in my co-pending application forpat-ent,

Serial No. 786,916 and filed August 2T, 1913. The inlet orfsuction sideof said pump 1 is connected b v means of thepipe 2 with any suitablecooling water supply Interposed inthe pipe 2 between the cooling watersupply tank 3 and the suction Inlet of the pump 1, is provided a screen'box 1 to intercept any impurities or fioating material and keep',- themfrom passing into the pump 1 and the condenser.

5 is any condenser ofthe surface type, but preferably of the form shownin my copending application Serial No. 7 96,747 filed Oct. 23, 1913, andis provided with an 'upper steam inlet 6, a lower condensed steam outlet7, and a lower air collecting cham'- ber 8, having an outlet 8. Saidcondenser 5 is also provided with a lower water inlet 9 and an upperwat-er outlet or discharge 10, said inlet 9 being connected by' means ofa pipe 11 with ythe discharge outlet of -the pump 1. In said pipe 11between theinlet 9 of condenser 5 and discharge of the'pump 1. isinterposed a check valve v12 to prevent the water from running downwardin the piping, if the pump 1 is stopped for any reason.

Atthe top of the condensing apparatus is provided an improvedform ofbaromet ric?T air pump 13,. which may be carried byany suitablesupports. not shown, and said pump consists of a casing 1-1. preferablyconical in sha pe at its lower portiomand `cylindrical at itsupperportion that forms va lower "air suction chamber 15. having a'lowerllatera'l aininht opening,1(3.4`connected withnza branch pipe 1T.('see Fin'. The 'cylindrii cal. ork upper por-tion .is provided -with an,L95

upper` opening ,1S andthe lowerportionjwitlj alower opening or discharge19. The open; ing 1B iraclosedbyr a circular kperforated plate l '20,.lirough. whichisA inse d and supfignzted: antheir.npper ends a v ofdepending tubes )lfln-eferablv of n1- form diameter aim of such lengthas to ex- 'Water chamb'ersection 22, provided 'with a. water inlet'opening 23.

Seated upon the upper flange of the cylindrical water 'chamber 22, is aplate 24', having a series of perforations smaller in diameter than theperforations in the plate 18, but arranged directly over the same.Inserted in the perforations of the plate 24 is i aseries o f dependingtubes 25, smaller in diameter than the tubes 21, of fplate 20, and whoseupper ends 'are securel fastened to vthe plate 24, while the body o thetubes 25,` pass through the water chamber '22,' and v .their lower endsextend into and nea-r the ends of the tubes 21, as 'clearly shown in,Figs. 2 and 4.

- Attached to the cylindrical water chamber sect-ion 22 is a cap 26,having formed therein an upper'n air suction chamber 27: ProvidedWithupper' air inlet 28, to which is connected'f branch air pipe 29 asshown in Fig. 2, and* for purposes to be presently described. The wateroutlet `opening 10, of the condenser 5 is' connected bya pipe 30, withthe water inlet 23, of the airpump 13, and pipe 31,

connects the outlet8, of the air collecting ldenser 5.

chamber 8, in the condenser 5, by means of the branch pipes 17 and 29,with the lower and upper air suction'chamber's 15 and 27, respectively,within the air pump 13. The discharge or lower opening 19, of the airpump 13, is connected by a pipe 32, for-conveying the water andentrained air to a tail race 33.

The operation'I of the invention is as follows T he circulating pump 1having been primed, is put into operation and as soon as vacuum isformed, aexhaust steam is passed through they upper inlet-6 andinto thecon- Said pump draws the cooling water from the supply tank 3 up thesuction pipe 2 through the screen box l and forces said water from thedischarge of the pump bevond the check valve 12 through the pipe 11vinto the lower water inlet 9 ofthe sur-v face condenser 5.tlience aroundthe outside of tubes of the s urface condenser and out of vthe dischargeopening 10 and up'V and through the pipe 30. The cooling water reachingthe upper end of the pipe 30, flows into the inlet 23 of the water'4chamberl '22 of the air pump 13, 'and is distributed uniformly aroundthe upper tubes 25, and over thel perforated plate 20, fromwhence saidwater flows into the annular spaces between lthe lower section of thetubes 25, andthe upper ends of the tubes 21 and down through thedependingI tubes 21. .The water f y the efficient operation thereof, asthe` within the depending tubes 21 passing the water discharging fromthe lower endsof the tubes 21, forms a series of separated water jetsvwhich present a large total surface to the air, said jets Ydrawing theair surrounding the tubes 21, and collected in 'the lower air suctionchamber 15, and lcontinually forcing or ejecting the air into the lowersection of the conical casing 1l where it. becomes entrained with therapidlyfde. scending water falling through the 'disf v chargeor loweropening 19into the pipe 32 from which the air and water are conveyed tothe tail race 33. As the cooling water continues to flow downwardlythrough the the upper side and flange of pipes or tubes 27, a highvacuum is also produced in the air'suction chamber 21, and y'lie airliberated from the condensing steam nd collectedlat the bottom of `thecondenser the air chamber 8, passes through the opening 8', into the airdischarge pipe 31- and is drawn through the inlet 16, by branch pipe 17into the space surrounding the tubes 21, where said air is constantlyandetticiently carried down and out with the discharging water. rlhus itlwill be seen that the same water' thatis kemployed to condense theexhaust steam in the condenser is used to evacuate the air from twochambers in the condenser, and -hence the airy from the condenser isdivided and enters the air pump 13 into said suction chambers above andbelow the water chamber or inlet, and thereby gives double the surfaceof contact betweenv -the water Vand air thanl accomplished in priordevices for the same purpose, which construction and arrangement as willbe 'readily seen, avoids the use ofthe usual cost-ly and complicatedpiston air pump, and reduces the condensing system of steam plant to itssimplest, compact and .most eliicient forni. Furthermore, as their'-cooling water is taken from and discharged to the.

saine level, the power required in the circulating pump is only thatnecessaryto overcome the (friction in the piping and condenser, and onaccount of the large cross ion section of the condenser employed, thefrictional resistance is reduced to a minimum; Also in view of thecooling water discharged from the air punip carrying air with it-at thetemperature 0f the water. the densit-yi'of said watei' is less than-normal and itis found best to arrange the lower end of the ai'i' pump13 formed thereby from thirty to forty feet above the level of the tailrace and while somewhat higher than the-usual barometric condensers; itis'not" detrimental vacuumvr in the barometric airfpump 13 is to theheight mentioned.

As will be seen from the foregoing detailed` description of the system.and its method of operation, all the objects and advant-ages of theinvention recited in the. stzitement 'of invention are fully andetliciently carried out, and the condenser is capable of maintaining ahigh vacuum with a ymlnimum consumption of cooling water and coal.`

Yhat "I claim is l1. A condensing apparatus comprising a surfacecondenser having a water inlet, a water outlet, an exhaust steam inlet,a condensed steam outlet and an air collecting chamber,.an air ejecing5pump casing having a water chamber provided with a water inlet connectedabove the barometric height with the water outlet of the condenser, awater outlet connected with a tail race, and

' an upper and a lower air exhausting chamber, respectively, above andbelow said water chamber and connected with the air collectingchamber-of the condenser, a lower 'series of tubes within the air pump casing,said lower tubes being so arranged as to. have their upper ends incommunication with the water chamber and water inlet of the pump ySeries of tubes within the water chamber of smaller diameter than thelower series of tubes and having the upper ends 1n communlcation withthe upper air exhaustlng chamber and their lower ends passing into theupper open ends ofthe lower series of tubes, and a circulating pumphaving its inlet connected with acooling water suppl)v and its dischargeconnected with the inlet of the surface condenser.

2. A condensing apparatus comprising a.

posed at a higher level than the condenserv having a water'chamberprovided with a water inletconnected above the barometric height withthe water youtlet of the condenser, a water outlet connected with thetail race, and an upper and a lower air exhausting chamber.respectively, above and below said water chamber and connected with theair collecting chamber of the cndenser, a lower series of separatedvertical tubes within the air pump casing. said tubes being so arrangedas to have their upper ends in communication with the water chamber andwater inlet of the pump casing and their lower ends discharging into thewater outlet of the pump casing and in communication with the lower airexhausting chamber -ot' the pump casing, an upper, f series of tubeswithin the water chamber of smaller diameter than the lower series of,tubes and having 'the upper ends in ,com- 70 p municatiom with the upperAair exhausting chamber and-theirlower ends passing into the upper openends ofthe lower series o tubes, and a circulating pump having its inletconnected with a cooling water supply and its dischargeconnectedwitlrthe inlet of the surface condenser.

3. A condensing apparatus comprising a .surface condenser having a waterinlet, a

water outlet, an exhaust steam inlet. a con- 8% densed steam outlet andan air collecting chamber, an air ejecting pump casing having a waterchamber provided with a water 'inlet connected above the barometricheighg with the water outlet of the condenseijyafg5 water outletconnected with a tail race, and an air exhausting chamber above saidwater chamber and connected with' the air collecting chamber of thecondenser, a lower series of tubes within the air pump casing, said 9olower tubes being so arranged as to havetheir upper ends incommunication with the water chamber and water inlet of the pump casingand their lower end discharging into the Water outlet of the pumpcasing, an upper series of tubes within the water chamber of smallerdiameter than the lower Se-fv ries of tubes and having the upper ends incommunication with the air exhausting chamber and their lower endspassing into 100.

the upper open ends of the lower series of tubes, and a circulating pumphaving its inlet connected with a cooling water supply and its dischargeconnected with the inlet of the surface condenser.

l. A condensing apparatus comprising a surface condenser having an aircollecting chamber, a circulating pump connected with the condenser, anair ejector pump consisting of a hollow conical casing having a lowerannular air exhausting chamber and air inletatiits larger end connectedwith the condenser, and a water outlet at the smaller end, a .waterchamber above said conical casing, an air exhausting chamber above thewater chamber having an inlet connected with the air collecting chamberof the condenser, a lower series of separated tubes within the lconicalcasing and projecting through the lower air exhausting chamber, 1:20said tubes having their upper ends comnninicating with the water chamberand their lower ends in communication with the i lower air chamber anddischarging in-to the tubes.

-the upper open ends ofthe" lower series of 5.,*A condensing apparatuscomprising a Surface .condenser having an an' collecting chamber, acirculating pump connected with fthe-condenser, an air ejector pumpsituated' *above the condenser and consisting of a hollow conical casing,having a lower annular air exhausting chamber and an air 1n- .let. atits largerend connected with the con,-

A-fd'en'serg and-a water outlet at the smaller or lower end, a waterchamber above said coni,- call .vcasing, a lower perforated plate sepa-,"rating 'the vupper end' of the-*conical casing from the Water chamber,'a series of sepa- '.rated tubes Within the ,conical casing andprojecting through the lower air exhausting chamber, said tubes'vhavi-ngtheir upper ends secured in the openings 'of the lower'perorated'plateand communicating with the' Water chamber and Water inlet and theirlowerrendsdischarging into the water outlet of the conical casing, anupper 'lair exhaust-v ing chamber above the water chamber havingl aninlet connected with the air collecting` chamber of the condenser; anupper'perorated plate separating the'upper end of the water chamber fromthe lowerend of the upper air exhausting chamber, and an upper series oftubes within the water chamber of smaller diameter lthan the lowerseries of vtubes and having their .upper ends securedinthe openings ofthe upper perforated plate and in communication with the upper airexhausting chamber and their lowerends passing into the upper open 'endsof the lower series of tubes.v In testimony whereof I affix mysignature,

in presence of two witnesses. v

CHARLES V. KERR.

Witnesses:

` Cries. F. RoCKcAs'rLn,

T. J. RooKoAsTLn.

